THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINES SPRING 2013 SPECIAL EDITION by The Business 101 Magazine

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

BE LIKE THIS From the Editor Goodbye Winter! Hello Spring! Is there anyone else tired of cold weather and snow and such. Anyone else ready to set their shoes and wardrobe free from winter coverup and start

This last month has been very hectic for me. New endeavors, new job, emergencies,stress and life in general. As I write this I go from feeling like everything is caving in to just being thankful it’s not worse. It’s been a balancing act and I am not sure I am succeeding at juggling it all but I keep going. I keep saying out loud and to myself that,“ It won’t always be like this…it will get better”. I have had several reality checks that all screams that life is too short to sit around worrying, stressing and obsessing over those things that you can’t control. Sometimes all you can do is pray and just let it go before you interaction, every new connection end up in a hospital bed broken down from LIFE. Get out and live and be happy. Find your Joy in every situation, every activity, every job, every. Sometimes it will be hard to find and similar to looking for a needle in a haystack but it’s there and the same effort you put into stressing you can put into seeking JOY. Be your lifes own groundhog and predict whether you will have more doom and gloom or more smiles! May this issue inspire you to keep moving forward, towards happiness, towards peace and as always towards joy.

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

to enjoy brighter days?

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

Beyond Business Cards:

of professionals as soon as possible. Every

The Series

BY LATASHA WEST

One of the common mistakes entrepreneurs make is not having a growth plan. If you want to be successful in business you need more than a good idea. You need a solid plan to operate and run your business. You should build a strong core for your business even when it’s very small and making very little money.

business should have the two big A’s, an Attorney and an Accountant. You want to hire them to review all important documents at minimum. Initially you may not be able to afford to hire them full time or on a retainer basis. Explore your options, they may be willing to barter, trade your product or service for theirs.

HIRING HELP As you successfully grow your business and the demand for your product or service increases, you will need assistance. How do you keep up with the demand? There are many available options: 1.

Your team is your foundation, this is step one in your growth plan. The owner and CEO is the leader of the team. Many business owners have trouble deciding if they should take a salary from the business. All CEOs have a salary; you are an employee of your business. Pay yourself; however take into consideration what the business can afford. You must make sure that your salary does not adversely affect the overall business operation. As the leader a key task is assembling the team. Your team is the single most important aspect of your foundation.

YOUR KEY PLAYERS When is it time to hire professionals? As a business owner you will need a team of professional advisors to ensure that you are staying in compliance with the law and out of trouble with the IRS. Hire your team

Employees - Are an integral part of business. Employees work directly for the company and are paid through payroll. The company will pay taxes and may provide benefits for employees. The business will provide all the necessary tools and supplies for the employee to perform their job function onsite. Independent contractors- This is a great option for projects. These are people who come in and work for a specified time at a specified rate. Contractors bring their own supplies, materials , pay their own taxes and do not receive benefits. Virtual Assistants- Virtual Assistants (VAs) are usually self-employed contractors. VAs can handle many administrative duties, which will save you time. VAs are hired to complete tasks that are template driven. Anything that can be automated can be delegated to a VA. They usually work from their own location, provide their own supplies and pay their own taxes. Temporary staff- Hiring a temporary or seasonal staff is a solution for a short term busy season. Temporary workers may work directly for you as an employee for a specified time frame or they may be brought on through a staffing agency.

Your team can make or break the business. Building a team is the first step to building a solid foundation. Choose your players with care; these are the people who will represent you in your absence.

About the author: LaTasha West is the CEO/Founder of Extra Hands Virtual Assistant & Small Business Services, the visionary & founding partner behind The Little Black eBook, a luxury shopping guide and also the author and lead instructor of the CEO in Pajamas, Virtual Assistant Training Series. Known as an expert Virtual Assistant, she has helped numerous small businesses expand their playing field and increase the bottom line of their businesses. She resides in the suburbs of Chicago with her family. Contact LaTasha at: info@extrahandsva.com/ www.extrahandsva.com facebook.com/extrahands2011 / twitter.com/extrahands_va

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

Part 1-The Foundation of your business You’ve decided to take the plunge and go into business for yourself. Congratulations, you have taken an enormous step. If you are dedicated enough to get the business off of the ground, you’ll want to make sure that you’ve built a foundation that is meant to last.

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

REACH TRINISA AT WWWMPTRINISAMICHELLE@AOL.COM

CHAT TIME WITH ANISSA BARBEE With over 10 years of experience in tax preparation, Anissa Barbee is the CEO of Transformation Tax and Financial Services. Anissa’s commitment to serving individuals, small business, and non-profit organizations stems from an understanding of the general sentiment of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). After working for franchises and CPA firms, Anissa felt that a profit margin, not the welfare of the taxpayer, was the top priority of some of the corporations. It is with these thoughts that Anissa decided to launch Transformation Tax 2010. A primary goal of her business is to make sure customers will leave her office with a better understanding of their tax returns. Through Transformation Tax and Financial Services, Anissa concentrates in on all aspects of income tax. She is dedicated to empowering her clients with the tools needed to face the Internal Revenue Service head on, and receive the maximum tax refund due. She is responsible for receipt organization and generating monthly reports to her clients, in order to prepare them for the next tax season. Additionally, Anissa is on the fast track to providing more services: full service bookkeeping, notary services, seminars/webinars, and Do-It-Yourself (DIY) tax filings via her website, www.transformationtax.com. “I am a believer in God and Romans 12:2 says, ‘Do not be conformed to this world but be ye transformed with the renewing of the mind.’ If I could transform my clients thru education and explanation, then their minds would be renewed and they will be able to either file their own return, or know enough to ask the right questions to their preparer,” says Anissa. Born and raised in Durham, NC, Anissa still calls the Triangle city home. She has earned a Masters Degree in Accounting with a Concentration in Taxation from Strayer University. She is studying to become an enrolled agent, a U.S. Department of Treasuryauthorized tax professional, which will allow her to represent her clients before the IRS during audits, collections and appeals. Anissa enjoys informing her social network following though her “Taxchick Tip of the Day” segments. Additionally she spreads her

knowledge of tax laws to her readers with the blog, Taxchick 37. Every individual and business could use a good accountant. Who is your ideal client and how did you get started in the very beginning? How did I get started…that’s a long story. I got started after seeing a void that needed to be filled. Companies were preparing returns, but they weren’t educating their clients. The big franchises I worked for, in my opinion, only wanted to get the customer in and out as fast as they could. Well, to me, that’s only part of the service. To me, I feel it’s also the preparer’s responsibility to share information and let the client know how the system calculated their tax refund. As a preparer, we can suggest what can be done so that the client does not have to pay back/receive a larger refund or to the business owner, explain what expenses are available to them. So, after a few years, I opened my own company in 2010 with a two goals in mind – 1- is to provide excellent service and 2 – to educate the client. If every individual and business owner could use a good accountant then my ideal client is Everybody! What gives you the greatest joy from your day to day work? My tag line is “Be informed”. I love sharing information with my clients in hopes that it will help them with their taxes and save them money. That moment when they say “ohh, that’s deductible?” makes me smile. My joy is them walking away happy. My joy is someone responding to one of my tips on facebook saying thank you for that information. What’s the biggest mistake people make in regards to their taxes? Not knowing and not understanding. That is the biggest mistake to me. People will make mistakes because they

either don’t know the law or don’t understand the laws of tax. And avoiding letters from the IRS – Big Mistake!

attendees said it was “edutaining” (education and entertaining). Love it!

Are you able to work with anyone regardless of their location and does the distance from a client add to, harm or make no difference to the client relationship?

In April, We are starting the Speak Life Series. My part will be Speak Life into Your Finances. It is a multi-panel discussion Speaking Life into different areas of an individual’s life. Very empowering, and uplifting.

Tell us about some of your current and upcoming projects? Right now, I am in the midst of a 5 city tour: Big Business on a Bankrupt Budget. We were Greensboro, NC on February 9th; will be in Charlotte, NC March 16th; Yonkers, NY, April 6th; Atlanta, GA, June 15th; and ending it at home in Raleigh/Durham, NC, on August 3rd. On this tour, I talk about what expenses a business owner can and cannot deduct on their taxes, how to keep more money in the bank account to reinvest into the business, and explain the Profit/Loss (Schedule C) tax form. I believe I picked the most boring subject to speak about, so I had to find a way to make it fun. One of the

Promoting my ebook – Here’s a Tip: Tax Tips for the Small Business Owner (available now for purchase on ejunkie) as well as continuing the series with two more books for the individual and non-profits. How can our readers reach out to you? They can reach me by email Anissa@transformationtax.com, facebook @ Taxchick, Twitter @ taxchick37 and my website www.transformationtax.com You can find her latest piece of advice at http://taxchick37.wordpress.com.

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

Absolutely! Any location - State, city or zip code. With telephone, fax, social media, skype, phone, text, uploading, downloading, computers, etc. there is no reason why I could not and should not work with clients in other locations. I don’t think it makes a difference in the relationship because I believe in giving all my clients, regardless of where they are, the same level of excellent service.

1 0

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

YouTube Yes, the wonderful world of YouTube is full of motivational

A woman in business can be dangerous. It can be intimidating by others, and it can certainly take a toll on

videos that will help you throughout the day. The best thing about this is that with your smart phone, you can listen to these videos in your car, watch it on your lunch break, or even plug in your headphones and watch/listen while you’re sweating out the day at the gym. I can always find a good video from Bishop TD Jakes or Eric “The Hip Hop Preacher” Thomas that will restore my motivation. Me(ditation) Time

the woman in the business. Not only are we running

Please do not underestimate the value of meditation.

businesses, but we are also running households; cooking,

This is something that I don’t do enough of. With

cleaning, tending to the children, your spouse (if you

everything that is going on in our lives, it is important

have one), and then getting up each morning to (wo)man

that we find time to stop. Don’t just stop your body from

a business. Whew! All of that can certainly weaken your

moving, but stop your brain from thinking, analyzing,

spirit as you strive to accomplish your goals. Here are

planning, worrying, and all the other things our brain

some tips on how to ensure that your spiritual house is in

tend to do that can exhaust us. You don’t need a mantra

order to where it can provide you with the daily

to chant, or all the chimes, bells and whistles. All you

motivation, so that your drive won’t diminish.

need is a quiet space and a pillow to sit on, if necessary.

Read Read Read

To quiet the mind, simply focus on your breathing. Breathe in…breathe out…breathe in….breath out. Take

One of my greatest accomplishments is not the degrees I

long deep breaths from your diaphragm, not your lungs.

have hanging on my wall, but the amount of books I have

It takes me approximately 1-minute to focus on my

that take up two (going on three) bookshelves. My

breathing until I’m in an active meditative state. If you set

bookshelves includes books on business, relationships,

your alarm and start out with 6-minutes, I’m sure you’ll

some fun fiction to lighten the mood, and books on

feel an immediate difference.

spirituality and motivation that provides me with an amount of rejuvenation that keeps me going. Whenever my spirit is low, I grab a book. Either I read it in its entirety, or I skim through the highlights, just to provide me with that extra kick. Some people rely on coffee, I rely on a book. You should try it!

Patrice Cokley is a marketing extraordinaire who radiates with innovation and out-of-the-box thinking, with a passion for working with small businesses and entrepreneurs. She is a blogger, and avid Facebooker and Tweeter that writes about business, music, and life. Follow her at: www.patricecokley.com / www.facebook.com/patrice.cokley / www.twitter.com/patricecokley / patrice@patricecokley.com

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

To be a strong woman in business, you really have to make sure your spiritual house is in order. That doesn’t mean start attending church service every Sunday, or start opening up the Bible on a daily basis. There isn’t anything wrong with any of those, but I want to ensure that I speak to everyone whom eyes reach this article. When I say “have your spiritual house in order”, I speak of having a strong sense of self and belief in a higher being, that will assist you in walking the path towards what you’re called to do; your passion.

1 1

IS NOT AN OPTION with Ree Williams When I started my business, I was so excited. I called family, friends and even put in my two week notice at my job. I was dancing in a sunshine parade. What I couldn’t understand is why so many responded to my great news of starting my own business with dismal responses disguised as legitimate concerns for my well being. Rain on my sunshine parade…not a chance. Because I am a pretty determined individual, none of that was powerful enough to get in my way. The first line in my business planner, “Failure is not MY option!!” Along with my tenacity, there are other business practices that keep me focused on my vision and my dream.

Do not take any shortcuts: Taking shortcuts in business represents a lack of business integrity. Do what you are supposed to do and do it the way it is supposed to be done. Shortcuts often times lead to sloppy results. Don’t try to be perfect: You are human and you are going to make mistakes. You are going to fall short. Sometimes, things occur that are simply out of our control. However, do not harp on a failure. Believe it or not, positive results can come out of a negative situation. Be organized: Organization is key in both your business and personal life. Papers, emails, phone numbers, calendars, and computer documents all should be organized and filed properly. Retrieving information is much easier when the information is organized. Also, organization can help ensure that you complete task in a timely manner for clients and customers. Choose one!!!!!!: When I hear someone say, “I have four businesses”, I cringe. Especially when I can see that none of the businesses are working properly. Don’t over involve yourself. No one will really know you if you are involved in too many different ventures. Pick one thing, develop it, and grow it. Once you have one business that is smooth running, then you can check on other business ventures. If it is your dream to be a business owner, allow nothing or no one to get in your way. Understand that your vision may only be visible to you and others in your shoes. Partner up with other women in small business and join business building networking groups. If you pace yourself, continually educate yourself, prioritize your goals and task, and focus on realistic expectations for your business, you will achieve gratifying business results. Failure is not an option!

Here are a few of my tips that might help you in your quest for business success: Know your purpose: Discover your purpose in life! Take time to define your purpose for you, not based on what is popular. Know your worth: If you don’t know what you are worth, there are plenty of people that will be glad to give you a value. You gotta have “some” money: There is nothing worse than needing money and having no resources to get it. Do not quit your job if you have no other means of supporting yourself, to start a business. You must understand that many businesses do not yield a favorable return for up to two years from start up. It’s okay if your “great” business has to be a side hustle and worked on a part time basis for a while. Be realistic: Can your idea really be turned into a successful business? Do you have what it takes to turn your idea into a successful business? Know what you are capable of and know what you are not capable of.

_____________________________________________

Ree Williams is a Small Business Development Expert and Business Coach with over 20 years of experience working with small to medium sized businesses. In 2010, Ree created In the Pinc, a supportive business building organization, as a way of being able to give back to the community and work with solo entrepreneurs in the startup phase. The Ree Williams Group: www.thereewilliamsgroup.com In the Pinc: www.inthepinc.net

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

FAILING

Be prepared to work at building: You can’t build an empire in a day, well, most of us can’t anyway and chances are, you are in the most of us group. So, allow yourself time to lay a solid foundation for your business.

1 2

YOU, YOUR BUSINESS AND JUSTIN BIEBER WITH RHONDA NAILS Do you realize what Justin Bieber and YOUR Business have in common??

Since 2011, I have received well over 1,000 views on a video that I forgot about on YouTube but is still in use today. Is the view count impressive?? No…not at all, but what is important to note is the fact that many notaries have contacted me to register for a coaching session or directory listing because they saw the video. Not only can you use online videos on your website but you can use them on your social media sites: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, etc., your blog, include in your online newsletters, insert at the end of your email signature…the list is infinite.

Well NOTHING....if your business does NOT have a YouTube video!

So how do you get a YouTube video for your business? I’m glad you asked!

Months after he posted several videos on YouTube...the "Bieb" was discovered!

You can create one using various free programs like Animoto OR if you need something a little longer with more detail connect with me and let’s chat about how you can get a free one!

Now how does that relate to YOUR business?? Very simple...YouTube places you in front of an otherwise unknown audience.

Rhonda Nails….some may know her as The Success Instigator but before that she was Blind, Broken and Bankrupt. To understand the woman behind Project PUSH, you must understand her “story”:

Like it or not, we are a very visual society and like pictures to tell the story.

At the age of 5 an accident left her BLIND in one eye….

Did you take note how quickly Pinterest grew to fame??

At age 34 a loan scam left her to file BANKRUPTCY…. What if you strategically created videos for various aspects of your business?

Despite these 3 B’s…she became:

Your new book launch...

*Owner of Signature Notaries; A Nationwide Notary Network

Your new product, styles, accessories...

*Founder of Project PUSH

Your new training video...

*Amazon Kindle Best Seller…TWICE

Your next special event...

*Magazine Creator and Publisher

Your About page for your new/updated website…

*Motivational Speaker *Success Instigator and Coach

The list could go on and on.

Project PUSH is more than just an organization that supports entrepreneurship.

The point is to get in front of the audience that will "SEE" you. My 1st position as an Entrepreneur was as a Notary Public. From there I went from Notary Signing Agent to Nationwide Notary Signing Agency. When I 1st started dabbling with videos…I created a short Notary tip video that I could distribute to the Notaries listed in my nationwide directory.

It uses Rhonda’s story of building a business through Bankruptcy to help other Entrepreneurs build their businesses even on a Bankrupt budget! Project P.U.S.H. started as a simple motivational speech....it is quickly becoming a MOVEMENT. For More Information visit www.Project-Push.org.

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

At age 25 she was left BROKEN as a Single Mother…. Pictures tell the story when words cannot.

1 3

1 4

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

1 5

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

1 6

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

EVELYN JACKSON

MEET

Evelyn Jackson continues to be an authority on entrepreneurship, as an author, as the founder of Divalyn Small Business Guru (D.S.B.G.) and as the coowner of Pastry Divas. Evelyn’s commitment to managing several projects effortlessly stems from finding her purpose, through a trying two years in her earlier life. Evelyn’s adult life began living the dream of countless Americans, being gainfully employed in the corporate world for over fifteen years. Eventually, a near tragic event would simply turn Evelyn’s professional life around. A tractor trailer careened towards her, leaving Evelyn bedridden and almost helpless for two years. She was no longer able to fulfill her banking duties and her home went into foreclosure. Additionally, her marriage of eighteen years came to an end. Evelyn’s reliance on God for guidance would cause her to realize if she was going to have a life worth living, she would have to start her own business. Eight surgeries later, Evelyn joined the direct sales powerhouse Avon, working her way towards becoming the first and only African American Executive in the Philadelphia Area district. Evelyn’s road towards entrepreneurship doesn’t end here. As co-owner and marketing manager of Pastry Divas she has sold over three hundred cakes, four thousand cupcakes and donated over three thousands cupcakes to various organizations since launching in February 2010. Evelyn transformed Pastry Divas into a success story, earning over forty thousand dollars in revenue in under a year. Evelyn then started D.S.B.G. in March 2010, which helps micro-small businesses with little to no money. D.S.B.G. has been featured in various media and has been invited to become a member of several professional organizations. Most recently, Evelyn has pinned the marketing how-to,

The Divalyn Pleasure Guide to Marketing Your MicroSmall Business.

Today, Evelyn is still a top-selling recruiter with Avon and has solid proof of her abilities, as a recipient of the following awards: The Spirit of

Avon, Recruiting Excellence, New Performer and the most prestigious award, #1 in Leadership Growth (Destiny Region), for being number one in leadership growth throughout the Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware region.

As a self-publishing author, Evelyn sold over seven hundred books nationwide in ten months without a single book signing event. Today, Evelyn is currently working on her second book in which she calls “Divalyn Guide for the Broke, Tired and Unique MicroSmall Business”, which has been released earlier this year. Evelyn resides in Philadelphia. She has one daughter, Tiffany Kirby, Pastry Divas’ Cake Artist, and three grand-children.

THE ENTREPRENUER Was there a specific catalyst that got you started in business? Yes, I was in charge of making my new company Pastry Divas grow and I called a marketing expert for advice. As a small business owner I didn't know where to go but I saw this person online and wanted to speak with her. I finally got the nerve to call her for one quick question and her answer devastated me. She said honey, if I gave away Free advice to everyone that called me, I'll never be in business, how do you expect me to pay my bills. So I asked how much do I have to pay her to meet with her, she said $250 in hour at Dunkin Donuts... I was upset and this is how Diva-lyn Small Business Guru was born. I vowed I would help small businesses grow and give advice to help them got off the ground so we can stop having so many small businesses fail before they even start. Can you share anything particularly inspirational from your childhood, upbringing or education? Sometimes living a hard life can make you grow up helping people. My childhood was horrible and I don't wish it on anyone, but what I got good out of it is that I didn't want my child to grow up like that, so this is what pushed me to strive for my dreams harder. Sometimes bad things produce good things. Do you have any business group or affiliations relating to your field? I have a few Facebook fan pages, where I talk to a lot of microsmall business (2 or less people). What do you think are the biggest stumbling blocks for a woman in business, either with clients, colleagues, MEN or in general? The hardest for me is No family support. To this day I've been an Author for two years, and the only person who brought my book was my daughter of Pastry Divas. Family Support is important to a lot of business people and not having it sometimes closes doors for our small business owners. How would you describe your business style—laid back or stern or somewhere in between? I'm very laid back.. I talk to my clients like where friends. I think this is what draws so many people to me. On my personal Facebook alone, not including Fan Pages I have over five thousand friends. Did you have a mentor? Do you mentor others?

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

THE BUSINESS 102 MAGAZINE PRESENTS

1 7

I don't know if it's called mentoring others, I just talk to everyone and give them advice. I believe if we help enough people it will come back triplefold. So, I guess you can call it mentoring others. I call it help when needed.

THE AUTHOR Tell us about your written works and a brief synopsis of each. I new from the beginning that small business owners didn't have the patience to read books especially big books. So I knew if I was going to help them succeed that my books had to be a quick read and the fonts had to be big so they can see it. My first book Diva-lyn Pleasure Guide To Marketing Your MicroSmall Business, was created to help you market with little to no money. I knew how to market because I've done it with a few MLM companies that I belong to. I wanted a book that would draw their attention and the chapters did just that.. A favorate chapter is: Quickie Zone, I get so much feed back on that title, but it's all about business. This book sells a lot and I know it will be a #1 seller soon. My second book, Divalyn Guide for the Broke, Tired and Unique Micro-small business was created because of my clients telling me they got started and lost their drive. So this books actually get into their emotional head letting them know why they not succeed because of how they think and give them tips on how to move forward in their business. This book was created overnight from all the responses on micro-small business owners being stuck. The third book, Don't Fake it Until you make it, Learn it so you can Earn it, which comes out March 3rd 2013, is the biggest of them all. This book was created because I think they needed to know what I've been through to help them grow. So this book is showing them my struggles and how I became successful. Sometimes people don't want to hear what to do, they need to know how you overcame it... So this is how this book was created and it gives the readers homework to help them prosper. How did you discover your passion for writing? I didn't discover it, my mother did. When she was alive she use to always tell me I would be a writer and a teach... I was like, yeah right mom no one will listen to me. One day I was standing in Barnes and Noble looking for a marketing book to help me with my other company and that's where it hit me, that I had to write a book. All the books I was looking at was to big and to technical. I knew that the small businesses wouldn't read them because I didn't want to read them. So I vowed to write a book

that was smaller, a quick read and simple. This is how it all began. What made you want to share your knowledge via writing and inspired you to venture into being an author? I use to work for the corporate world for over fifteen years, and I hated it. I knew there were so many people out there like me who just didn't want to go back. I looked at the unemployment rate and I said I had to share what I know to help others. This is what keeps me motivated. What advice can you give to aspiring writers? I would tell them to just write, don't listen to people who say you can't do this or that. I had a few people tell me my books wouldn't sell because it was pink. They were so wrong it actually did the opposite, I can't keep them in stop. On Amazon I get nice checks for my ebooks. So don't listen to anyone but your heart. Follow you dreams. It won't be perfect and you will make errors. I learned this a long time ago and I like to share it with them when it comes to people buying your book... Some Will, Some Won't and So What... NEXT!

THE FOUNDER

What made you start Divalyn Small Business Guru (D.S.B.G.)? What is the current / long term goals of your organization? Tell us what that means to you and to the people you hope to reach. I answered above with what made me start... No support from other small business owners, who forgot where they came from. My goal with this business to help micro-small businesses all over the world. They lost their faith to survive because they don't have help. I'm told im a motivator and people look up to me, and I tell them I'm just plain old me. I was given the name: The Beast on facebook because they say whatever I touch I tear it up. (In a good way)... My long term is to have a building where people can come in and learn how to be successful without it costing them a car payment. I believe it's a numbers game. You don't have to charge a lot, when you have so many people coming to you. People look at my figures and say how do you survive... I tell them while you work on that one or two clients, i'm working on the fifteen to thirty clients who telling all their friends. I just hired a personal assistant because it's becoming to much for me to handle and will be hiring another coach soon to help me out... It's starting to grow and be a little to much, but that's ok, I love my small business owners, they are what's keeping this economy growing.

THE PASTRY DIVA Tell us about your role as co-owner and Marketing Manager at Pastry Divas? What type of items do you offer ? It started because my daughter can bake and was rejected from the Art Institute because she had to many kids... She cried for a week, and I told her as a mother would do, that If she bake I'll help her start her own company. This is how Pastry Divas began. I do all her marketing and she do all the baking. Pastry Divas was my first company to practice my marketing skills on. I said if I can build this company, no one will be able to catch me. Building Pastry Divas was the best thing I could have done. We have done big project with Uniquelly You Summit, University of Penn, Villanova University, Edison High School, Career Wardrobe and the list goes on and on. We do all kinds of custom baking. They call us the Queens of Buttercream and if people go on our website they will see why... we do things with buttercream that other bakers can only do with Fondant.

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

My mentor was my mother. She struggle so much to bring me up properly in a poor environment. She knew I would be somebody and she kept pushing me, when I didn't think I could be anyone. You would believe this about me, I was a very quiet, shy person and didn't talk much. So I never had a mentor. As I got older I decided to get into reading business books and I think my books became my mentor.

1 8

Tell us about your family life and how you balanced it in the beginning when your daughter was small to now with enjoying time with your grandchildren? How has your family motivated and inspired you? It was hard in the beginning because my grandkids are young.. When we started they were, two, four and seven. We had hard time finding babysitters because we had no support. So I would try to watch kids while daughter bake. Then it hit me, why don't we show the seven year old how to help and the two and four year olds became little marketers passing out postcards with me. To this day they are a little older, but they all help growing the business. Now, the baby passes out at least five postcards a day. This has brought us all closer, because we go out with kids and treat them for their hard work. I love it, because I was a single mother struggling with my daughter and I don't want this for my grandkids. Everyone laughs on how much I go out, but this is always family time for me. I want them to realize the sacrifices me and their mother did for them to have these luxuries.

CLOSING If you had not chosen to share your gifts in the varieties mentioned, what do you see yourself doing? I would be depressed working for the corporate world. I have some serious skills which makes me able to go to work. I type over 98wpm, yes I'm fast it came with over fifteen years experience in the corporate world. I would be stuck, like most small businesses are... This is why it's my mission to show them that they can leave the corporate world also and have a prosperous business. Yes, I'm on a mission with this.. Are there any dreams or goals that you have yet to fulfill? I have the average goals of wanting to buy a bigger home, a nicer car etc. My biggest dreams is to help so many people and to be a speaker like Les Brown. I want to go around the world and help people and let them know there is someone out there who cares about them, not their money. I know we all have bills to pay and need the money, but I do believe if you help enough people your bills will get paid without the struggles.. I vision thousands of people sitting down and I'm on stage talking to them, Wow I can't wait. What are you most proud of in regards to your business accomplishments? I'm proud of my daughter, because everyone thought she was going to be on welfare making the mistake of have three young kids early in her life. She is awesome and this lets me know that I did my job. I love my accomplishments of being an Author . I

write my books with me in mind. I had a writer told me that I can't sell my books with the colors I choose because people won't buy them. I told him I want people to buy them, but I wrote the books with me in mind. I don't want people to go through what I went through. I write to help others, which helps me. The testimonials I receive is priceless. Yes, my books are different and unique in it's own way. Then I thought about it... I'm different and Unique in my own way, so we're a perfect match. Tell us about your upcoming projects/events/appearances that we are not aware of. I have my first annual event coming in March 2013. I didn't want to do it this early, but I was pushed into it by so many business owners who wanted to hear me speak. I'm so excited about this and this will be the launch date of my third book. Who is Evelyn Jackson? Evelyn Jackson was a girl who was raised in a poor environment like most of us, who was just trying to survive. She had an eye opener when she was involved with a tractor trailer accident that left her bedridden for two full years. She had to learn how to walk again after eight hard surgeries and in the process lost her job of fifteen years in the corporate world. Life turned for the worse, her car went up for repossession, her home went up for foreclosure and she became single again after being married for eighteen years, with an only child to raise. When they say your life can change in a day, it did for her. She realized that with all the pain she was in, that she would no longer be able to work for anyone else. Today, Evelyn is an Author of three motivational business books, Owner of a powerful marketing company and co owner of a striving and seeked out cake company. Recently, Evelyn decided that her small business owners needed more inspiration to keep them going all the time and created products with her new company called Say It Diva. Keep an eye out on her, she's going far and she's taking her mirco-small business owners with her. Anything to add? No matter what others say, no matter what support system you don't have keep your head up. Wait it out, your turn will come and then run with it. If you see someone growing, don't wish you were like her, say to yourself I'm going to be bigger and better and I'm so happy for her.. NEXT! How can you contact Evelyn? Www.dsbg4u.com Www.pastrydivas.net www.sayitdiva.com www.facebook.com/dsbg4u www.twitter.com/dsbg4u Email: dsbg4u@aol.com www.facebook.com/pastrydivas

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

THE MOTHER/GRANDCHILDREN

1 9

2 0

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

2 1

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

Meet two creative women who are creating their own path to success. JULIE M. HOLLOWAY ENTREPRENEUR | ARTIST | AUTHOR | DREAM MIDWIFE Julie M. Holloway of JMH Art & Design Studio (in red below), is a native of Chicago, IL where she currently resides with her husband Darnell and two children, Jasmine and D.J. Holloway is a freelance artist who is a versatile and gifted designer, artist and marketing guru. Her projects reflect her expertise in designing invitations of all kinds as well as beautifully-crafted book designs. Her graphic designs can span from the simple one-page (one modest idea) to the complexities of flash, using the latest software technologies that only the most exceptional artistes in the field of design are currently using–and she is sculpting that software in to pages of branding heaven–sometimes leaving her customers so ecstatically happy with her work that they have no words; they are in tears of joy and are truly appreciative that she has put forth such an exalted effort on their behalf. Then there are the branding concepts she develops with ease. The branding aspect appears to be a natural extension of the work she does as a designer. Her eye naturally pulls out the most vital details for a project that will make it soar to new heights and draw the consumer in with the unusual quality of the painting and/or mural for which she has been commissioned. Much of her artistic ability was self-taught with the homebased, Art Instruction School, where she began around the age of eight. Her natural talent was soon discovered in elementary, junior high and high school where she studied studio arts for all four years. Afterwards, Holloway continued to study at a pre-college program at Ringling Art & Design in Sarasota, FL. She also studied at the prestigious, School of The Art Institute of Chicago’s foundation program. She is currently studying at Capella University, and is looking forward to graduating with her Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration degree in the summer of 2013. Throughout her schooling, her art has regularly received many awards and recognition. Holloway may have begun her business as a fine artist with a love of painting murals, but because she has that “it” factor, she draws people to her graphic design services with ease. She has truly discovered a love for helping the next entrepreneur put their best foot forward. Holloway’s lifelong passion has always been to pull up those who need help, get the help they need and more. It is one of her greatest joys in her design business to surprise a client with a free logo from her, “Logo Gift Foundation,” wherein she consults with a new entrepreneur and discovers what they hope to achieve in

their new business venture. Unbeknownst to this aspiring entrepreneur, Holloway has been gathering information that will help her to design the perfect logo for that client’s business. The feelings Holloway receives when she helps other entrepreneurs is the reason she decided to expand her studio art business into a multi-faceted range of services from fine art to graphic design; utilizing her business skills as a virtual office assistant. Should you be in the market for any of these services, please visit the Contact page her website www.jmhcre8ive.com site for more information or for a free quote of services. If you have ideas of what you would like to see painted, or designed let her know! (Bio written/edited by Rhonda Alexander, QWS) MINISTER TIA COOKE Minister Tia Cooke is an expert in the field of advertising and marketing for small businesses, non-profit organizations and ministries. She is the president and CEO of Dominion Media International LLC, a full service multi-media company, and the Editor in Chief of Empower Magazine, the Jet Magazine to the Christian community. From humble beginnings, the second of four children born to William and Elsie Cooke, it was evident that the hand of God was upon her life. Gifted as a young child, she sold paintings in elementary school, so it is no shock that she is doing what she is today. Tia received Christ at the tender age of 7 years old and continues to serve Him in every area of her life so that He may get the Glory. She is a dedicated and faithful member of God’s Anointed Touch Ministries under the charismatic and anointed leadership of Bishop Ernest and Apostle Laequinla Hunter. Using her Godgiven talents to advance the Kingdom of God, she serves as the marketing, media and technology specialist and youth minister. Not without her share of opposition, Tia has continuously risen above every challenge presented. Her maxim is not to shy away from obstacles but face them head on. With a Bachelors degree in Business and Finance and minor in Religion from Wake Forest University and her recent matriculation to obtain a Master of Arts in Religious Studies, Tia has been called upon to give numerous seminars and workshops on the importance of marketing and branding. A servant first, Tia believes in giving back and motivating others to discover their purpose and reach their destiny. To learn more about Tia, visit www.empowermagazine.com

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

A DESTINY BY DESIGN

2 2

CHILDREN AND THE GRIEF PROCESS BY COACH FRANZELL TRUITT

The child may not fully understand what is happening, but he or she will show their expressions and reactions as they go through the grief process. Depending on the age of the child, they may not always know how to articulate what they are feeling. Most of the time, children are not sure of what they feel or how to express how they feel. As a parent we must know what signs to look for, and when to reach out for help for our children. The signs will be different according to the child’s age. A few of the signs would be withdrawal from others, changes in eating habits and anger. MTE Grief Coaching Center offers an outstanding Children’s Program for ages 3 to 12, where we make it a priority to keep our children healthy, as they go through the grief process. MTE Grief Coaching Center “A comfort station” Call Today 916-478-1941 / www.mtecoachingcenter.com Mission: To support families and individuals through the transitioning process of grief.

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

Too many times, our children are overlooked when it comes to grief. Most often, during any type of tragic loss, adults are caught up in the moment of what is going on and do not realize that children are also experiencing the pain of grief. A child’s response to grief is expressed in different ways not like adults. At an early age, around three years old, a child can share feelings of grief, and because they have learned what happy, sad, scared and mad looks like, they can share when they are experiencing these feelings.

2 3

The most important duty in the back office that you need to understand is the financial workings of your business. You need to know the who,what, when, where, and how of all monies coming and going in your business. And the easiest way to understand these comings and goings is to be able to read a financial statement. Now most business owners know how to READ a profit and loss but they don't UNDERSTAND how to read it. I'll explain that further below. According to wikipedia, a financial statement is "a formal record of the financial activities of a business, person, or other entity". They collectively tell you what finances are truely keeping your business a float. However, individually they each provide you with different types of information. This formal record of financial activities consist of 4 primary or reports.

key

Balance Sheet. A balance sheet tells you the financial position of your business at any given point in time. It shows all of the assets you own and all of the debt and liabilities you owe. This statement maintains a continuous balance from inception. Profit and Loss. A profit and loss tells you all of income and expenses incurred during a specified period of time, and whether your business net a profit or loss. This statement is not continuous. The balances reset every twelve month period. Statement of Cash Flow. A statement of cash flow explains the flow of your cash activities using three

"buckets". These buckets tell the truth about how your business is running from day to day. Operating activities are the cash received or expenses from the operations of the business. The monies received and paid are based on what you do. Investing activities are the cash received or paid out for assets needed to keep your business going. Examples are machinery and equipment used in the business. Financing activities are the cash loaned out or borrowed to/from people or entities that are used for working capital. These funds could be used for the above two categories. Statement of Equity. A statement of equity tells you the value of your business and how it changes from year to year. This is what your business is worth. Now one important thing to remember is that the specified period or twelve month period I mention above is not always January to December. In most cases it is for small business owners but not always. This twelve month period is based on how your business entity was established. So check you incorporating documents if you are unsure. Do you know what your financial statements say about your business? What challenges do you have with reading your financial statements? To learn more about what your financial statements say about your business and where you can make improvements, contact me for a complimentary 20minute strategy session at info@Empower2Thrive.com. Sherrell T. Martin is the Founder and CEO of Empower 2 Thrive, LLC, a boutique practice offering financial management consulting and business success strategies. She strives to empower business owners and entrepreneurs who desire to thrive financially in life and business by gaining financial control and creating wealth and legacy. She teaches business owners how to build a business that will thrive and how to properly account for their financial future. This ensures that their business structure and financials are sound from the very start. She also helps non business owners learn how to protect themselves from the five financial threats we will all face at one point in our lives. To receive your free copy of her Start-Up Success Guide - The 10 Critical Steps to Building A Thriving Business from the Start and a FREE subscription to her Empowering You biweekly e-zine, send your request to info@Empower2Thrive.com. All rights reserved. ÂŠ 2012

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

To own and operate a business means being involved in every aspect of that business. As the owner you are the COO and the CEO. You must understand how the front office, or operations of the business,run and the back office. You don't necessarily need to work in the back office but you need to oversee it just as you would the front end.

2 4

FOLLOW YOUR

often what make you stronger in the end.

DREAMS …NEVER GIVE UP!

Below are a few things to keep in mind on the journey to your dreams:

BY BRITTANY YATES Commitment leads to action. Action brings your dream closer. Marcia Wieder We all have dreams, but the question is: are we going to follow them? Taking the first step to pursing your dream is always the hardest. Once you decide exactly what you want to do and write down a plan to follow the hardest part is done. Although the most difficult part is to write down each step that you’re going to take to pursue you dream there is something very important that you must do. The most important part is sticking to your dream. If this is something that you really want to do, following through is the easy part. When you first start your venture some people will be with you and others will be against you. Do not get discouraged if everyone hasn’t jumped on your bandwagon. More supporters will come as time goes on and you prove yourself. Not everyone is going to think your dreams are realistic but that’s not what matters. What matters is that you follow your dreams no matter how many people disagree, or how many obstacles you have to overcome. In fact, these struggles are

Step out of your comfort zone Do not be afraid to hear the word “No” Be creative Network! Network! Network! Use social networks to reach out Always remember to send thank you cards or emails Do not be afraid to ask for help

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams. -Eleanor Roosevelt You may feel like what you’re doing isn’t working and your first reaction is to give up because that’s what’s easy. Some people fail to realize that making the easiest decision isn’t always the best decision. Quite often, you must choose between what is easy and what is right. When you run across something that may seem impossible to do, simply change the way you’re going about it. Figuring out the right approach to overcome difficult situations is the most important part to making sure you won’t give up. Ask yourself a few questions. Why waste your time on starting something if you aren’t going to follow though? What are you gaining by giving up? Are the things I’m doing worth doing? Everyone has their ups and down’s; making it through your downs is what’s going to get you where you want to be. You must remember without struggle there is no progress. “You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.” -Jim Rohn For more inspiration check our Endlessdreamsfoundation.org, @noend2dreaming, facbook.com/endlessdreamsfoundationinc

2 7

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

2 8

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

INCREASE YOUR NET WORTH WITH PATRICE COKLEY

Get Out When I first moved to Chicago, I was awake on Social Media and took those relationships I established online, offline. Any networking event that was of interest to me

Welcome, new entrepreneurs to the wonderful world of

or was relevant to my industry, I was there. I have to

creating your own destiny and following your dreams!

admit, I was a little shy at first, but that had nothing to do

Not to mention late nights, early mornings, good months,

with my true personality. The “Virgo” in me likes to scope

bad months, good clients, bad clients, and host of other

the place out first, and that place being Chicago, before I

yings and yangs in the entrepreneur world. What makes

let loose. That’s just me. But even still, I got out from

it all worth it is not what you know, but who you know.

behind the computer and showed my face, traded

Yes, that is right. I’m talking about the good ole “N” word:

business cards, and learned more about what my new

NETWORKING.

city has to offer. Be Consistently Authentic

Many people start businesses because they have a talent that can only be fostered through entrepreneurship, or

You have your fancy business cards printed, website designed and launched, and you’re stepping out of your house on your way to your networking event. Before you pull off, make sure you have your authentic game face on and that you’re consistent. The last thing you want to hear is someone recognizing you at an event and come up to you and say “You’re nothing like I had expected”. this happened before personally, but I have heard stories. When someone finally meets you, you want them to feel like they already know you and that your brand and voice

they’re just simply fed up with the politics in their office.

are consistent online and off. The entire purpose of

Before jumping that bridge, it is important that you try

networking is to meet other like-minded individuals that

with all of your might to not burn the bridge and to

you can help. Remember, your network is your net worth.

create others bridges as you transition. And that my dear,

It’s not about who can help you, but who you can help.

is done through networking.

People prefer accepting help from those who are consistently authentic.

Don’t Sleep on Social Media

Patrice Cokley is a marketing extraordinaire who If you’re just starting out, be sure to set up your Facebook

radiates with innovation and out-of-the-box thinking,

and Twitter pages. Yes, there are many more social media

with a passion for working with small businesses and

networks, but start out with these two first because that’s

entrepreneurs. She is a blogger, and avid Facebooker

where everyone is at. Don’t set up the account and then

and Tweeter that writes about business, music, and

walk away, expecting your following to grow on its own.

life. Follow her at:

That beautiful flower seed you planted needs to be

www.patricecokley.com

watered. Be sure to engage with those in and out of your

www.facebook.com/patrice.cokley

industry, as well as those who show interest in your

www.twitter.com/patricecokley

product/service. People want to do business with those who are interested and invested in them.

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

You’re talking about a major ego-crusher. I’ve never had

2 9

3 0

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

3 1

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

After sifting through my notes and identifying the most successful relationships, I identified five proven techniques to regaining and sustaining intimacy in a relationship.

Date your lover. Many couples stop dating after proclaiming they are exclusive. Some stop dating a couple of months into a relationship and some couples stop when they get married or have children. Do not ever stop dating one another. Dating is what kept the relationship exciting and fresh in the beginning. It’s

Disappear for an evening or two. I implore you to put in your budget enough money for a vacation for just the two you, no children, no friends, no family members. It can be by plane, train, or automobile. Just make sure to budget a vacation together. The vacation does not have to be extravagant, but you should disappear with your partner in order to reconnect. A one week vacation to the Caribbean may not be in everyone’s budget. I am sure you can sacrifice buying lunch every day and bringing leftovers or make a sandwich in order to put a couple of dollars away for a two-day getaway. You can find inexpensive weekend options in your area. Living Social offers affordable travel deals.

Dance sensually. When was the last time you slow danced with your partner? How do you feel when you slow dance holding someone and someone holding you, flirting with eyes and teasing with pouty lips yearning to kiss? I don’t know about you, but I feel sexy.

wonderful that you met the right person, the person you want to spend the rest of your days with. You may have realized he or she was the “one” the moment you were standing in line waiting for the doors to open to a concert. You wanted to buy a t-shirt. You told him you would be right back. When you reached for your wallet he was right behind you to pay for the t-shirt when you thought he was still on line. Guess what? That interaction, that moment you knew he would always have your back, the moment you knew he was the “one;” you were on a date. You need to continue to create those memories.

You probably haven’t danced since you dated or since your wedding dance or since you disappeared on vacation. Dancing sparks romance. Put on your favorite Marvin Gaye, Whitney Houston, John Legend song, look into each other’s eyes and move to the rhythm of your love for one another.

Dare to be playful. My partner used to love playing the board game Risk. I hated it. The object of the game is “world domination.” I may have hated the game but I loved my partner and wanted to be involved in something he enjoyed. I decided in order for both of us to get some enjoyment out of this past time I would have to add some excitement to what I considered a huge bore. So, I created “Strip Risk.” When one of us conquered a territory the other had to remove an item of

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

After listening to a few of my clients I recognized that the key to understanding what they were experiencing and persuading them not to feel guilty about wanting to be happy and not knowing why they were not happy was simple. Did you know intimacy falls between safety and selfesteem on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs? They were so busy “living” they were not getting their needs met by their partner.

I know money can be tight these days and purchasing tickets to see Beyoncé may be tough. Don’t make money issues an excuse; see it as an opportunity to be creative. Here’s a suggestion. Go through your refrigerator and cabinets and decide on a meal. Cook together while drinking your favorite cocktail. Light some candles, set your Pandora station to Luther Vandross radio, spread a blanket in the middle of your favorite room, not the kitchen, and have a romantic indoor picnic…VIOLA…Date night!

3 2

“I hope you’re having a great day.”

Desire to be desired. Every morning before I start my day, I look in the full length mirror and ask myself, “would I want to make love to me?” The answer is usually, “yes” with my Inner Hater in the background whispering, “You could use a few crunches and 30 seconds in the plank position.” But for the most part the answer is “YES! Inner Hater be damned!” The point is this, if you do not desire you, why would your partner desire you? Find something

about yourself that you find incredibly sexy and embrace the things about yourself that may need some improvement and make a plan to totally desire yourself so when your Inner Hater has something to say you can tell her to, “Kick rocks!” It’s been said over and over again that most relationships end because of finances or sex. In this economy we are forced to be flexible in the area of finance. However, flexibility in our intimate life can be fun. Intimacy is a need a want and necessary to live a happy and fulfilling life. In order to regain and sustain intimacy in your relationship remember to desire, dare, dance, disappear, and date your partner. You will be surprisingly satisfied with the results.

Love Sensually, Safely, Spiritually Hollie Sweat, Intimacy Consultant

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

clothing. When playing regular Risk the game lasts for hours. “Strip Risk” lasts no longer than 30 minutes. He got to play a game he loved and I wore as little as possible so the game would not last all night. Boobies won over world domination every time. In the world of smart phones, you don’t have to sit through a board game to be playful you can simply send your partner a risky photo in the middle of the day with a caption,

3 3

3 4

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

Ledger, FoxBusiness.com, MSNBC.com, CBS MoneyWatch.com, Black Enterprise, USA TODAY, the News 12 New Jersey’s, “It’s Your Money Show”, VIBE.com, as well as numerous online publications. She also blogs about personal finance, for The Huffington Post.You can learn more about Tiffany and The Budgetnista here: thebudgetnista.com

Pam Perry Sharisa Robertson Mari Smith Lucinda Cross Cheryl Pullins

La Tara Ham-Ying

LaTara V. Ham-Ying is a lifestyle success strategist, certified herbalist, author, and speaker. As the owner and lead coach at Integrated Concepts for Living a personal and business development company LaTara partners with innovative visionary women helping them to carve our their path and live an extraordinary unique life by using three simple concepts…faith, simplicity, and wellness. LaTara resides in Oklahoma City with her two boys and 4 dogs. 7. Ree Williams 8. Carol Sankar

9. The Budgetnista Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche is a best selling author (The One Week Budget), speaker and passionate teacher of fun, financial empowerment. Her company, The Budgetnista, specializes in the delivery of financial literacy education. She and her financial advice have been featured in ESSENCE Magazine, FORBES.com, The Star

Tina C. Hines is the President and Life Transformation Specialist of For My Sister Friends, LLC, an organization committed to uplifting women. Through what could only be described as the Zen quality inherent within, Tina uses her intuitive abilities to connect with women of all ages, nationalities and spiritual denominations to provide them with the resources to obtain inner peace. Tina’s unique spirit, strong commitment, wealth of experience and her personal growth makes her matchless in her craft. Ms. Hines has written several articles and has also appeared in the New York Times and on Good Morning America. To learn more about Tina, For My Sister Friends and to receive a weekly copy of Take Your Stuff Back, visit and subscribe to www.formysisterfriends.org. 24. LaShanda Henry 25. Tyjuana Wilson 26. Donna Johnson 27. Tamyka Washington - Small Business Coach & Mentor 28. Coach Tanya Smith 29. Anissa Barbee

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

10. Sandi Krakowski 11. Shanel Cooper Sykes 12. ME Unlimited by Marshawn Evans 13. Nicole Taylor 14. Shun Strickland 15. Natalie Gouche'- Mogul Mom 16. Candace Ford 17. LaTonya S. Johnson 18. Monifa Robinson 19. ShaChena Gibbs 20. Keisha Lewis 21. Brandy Adamson 22. Terri L. Clay 23. Tina C. Hines, Life Transformation Specialist

3 5

30. Aradia Knight

31. Katrina Harrell Life + Business Strategist Katrina M. Harrell helps entrepreneurs liberate their visions by connecting consciousness and entrepreneurship with successful, innovative business strategies. A celebrated entrepreneur with national print features and a strong digital presence, Katrina uses her gifts to lead women via signature programs and live workshops that lead to measurable, transformative success. Her latest Best Seller, How She Got Free: A 5-Step Spiritual Business Manual for Women Who Lead Through Entrepreneurship, is available at Amazon.com and liberatedbitches.com 32. Angel Barrino 33. Rhonda Nails 34. Katherine Waddell 35. LaTersa Blakely, MS~Beyond Brokenness Coach 36. Regina Lewis 37. Tiffany L. Lymon | Social Media Specialist| Business Coach | Speaker 38. Kellly Thorne-Gore 39. Lady Bizness, Inc.

40. Malia Holleron - Marketing Coach Malia Holleron {The Marketing Mommypreneur} is a full time mom, wife, marketer and entrepreneur. On her blog, she "tells it like it is" when it comes to marketing, working from home and making money online. Get your free eCourse, Marketing Strategies That Work when you visit http://maliaholleron.com or email her at malia@maliaholleron.com.

41. Montina Portis 42. Tanisha Layne 43. Sharmetra Pittman, The Working Moms Empowerment Coach

44. Regina Littles 45. Simplistic Financials, LLC 46. Momcom Life USA 47. Own Your Power Communications 48. Daphne Dwritewell Williams 49. LaToya Gay 50. Boom Social with Kim Garst 51. Lytoya Parker 52. Laticia Beatty 53. Sharon Meyers 54. Third Eye Group 55. Elle Swan - Motivational Speaker for Women 56. Marie Forleo 57. Diane Smith 58. Walethia Aquil 59. Malika Anderson 60. Vicki Irvin 61. Melinda Emerson, The Small Biz Lady 62. Minister Nellie A. Wosu 63. HOT Coaching Angel Richards Angel Richards is owner of www.HelpingOthersTransform.com and founder of H.O.T Society. Her years of experience in the education system sparked her passion for educating, motivating, and empowering women. Her online classes, workshops, audios and books are filled with simple yet sassy, savvy ways to become the success you were created to be. Through her online community H.O.T Society she teaches how to eliminate clutter, confusion and chaos in all areas of life so you can experience true freedomenjoying a fun, fab and focused life! After overcoming many fears and self-hate caused by molestation, rape, abuse, and being a two-time teen parent; Angel shares her motto, Give it Up to Live it Upâ&#x201E;˘, which is transforming women from all walks of life to move from clutter to clarity to confident creators of their own destiny! Because Angel is real, raw and deals with relevant women issues, her online show H.O.T TV is sought after by many women who know what they need to do but not sure exactly how to. Her humble spirit and sisterly love is the icing on the cake that supports women during their time of transformation so they can stay the course and live a clutter free life.

64. Felicia Lee

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

Aradia Knight is the President & Founder of Aidara Inc., a National Bookkeeping & CFO Consulting Firm. Aidara Inc. is the largest Online Bookkeeping & CFO Consulting Firm meeting the needs of businesses and GOV Contractors nationwide and growing fast. They are certified AABE, MBE, SBE, ESBE, WBE and a HUB in the State of Texas. Contact her via her website at www.aidara.co or via email at info@aidara.co.

3 6

Dr. Natalie A. Francisco received a Bachelor and Master of Arts in Christian Education from International Bible College in Independence, Missouri and a Doctorate in Christian Education from Carolina University of Theology. She serves as co-pastor of Calvary Community Church and co-founder of Calvary Christian Academy in Hampton, VA alongside her husband, Bishop L. W. Francisco III; founder and executive director of Women of Worth & Worship (WOWW), LLC, the WOWW Conference and WOWW Institute; and author of four books: Wisdom for Women of Worth & Worship: Lessons for a Life of Virtue, Value & Victory; Parenting and Partnering with Purpose: Linking Homes, Schools and Churches to Educate Our Children; A Woman’s Journal for Joyful Living: Successful Steps to Holistic Health and I’m Just Saying! Daily Devotional Inspiration and Insight for Men and Women (all published by St. Paul Press). She also co-authored Becoming A Steward Leader: Essential Insights from Stewardship Thought Leaders and Practicioners (published by Christian Leadership Alliance). Find her online at www.NatalieFrancisco.com and via email WOWWI@NatalieFrancisco.com

68. Sisterhood: Manifest Your Destiny. 69. Tracy Foreman 70. Beth Caldwell Public Relations Specialist and Business Strategy Coach 71. Candace Johnson 72. All Other Ground 73. Sonnie Beverly Books 74. Sonya Jones 75. Vernetta Freeney 76. Chereace Richards 77. Nikkie Ettaj Hilliard 78. Sharon D. Green 79. Melanie Bonita (Bestselling Author ~ Speaker ~ Coach) 80. Theresa Royal Brown ~ Entrepreneur ~ Author ~ Inspirational Speaker

81. Doreen Rainey - Bold, Courageous, RADICAL Coach

82. Kimberly Jessie 83. Deja Vuster 84. Ilyasah Al-Shabazz 85. Wendy Lovejoy 86. Karen Salmansohn, best selling author 87. Coralee Flug 88. The Wonderful Now Life Coaching LLC 89. Diema Chef Dee Ellingberg 90. LaTracey Copeland La Tracey Copeland, the Purposeful Diva will guide you to a better understanding of God’s intended purpose for your life. As you grow toward genuine peace and fulfillment, you’ll learn the joy of loving God and others, waiting on Him with Hope, trusting Him through suffering, serving Him with reverent fear, and fulfilling His purpose. She is a woman of many talents. As a Purpose Life Coach, Publisher, Motivational Speaker, and Business Consultant to those that are striving to live in their purpose. 91. Patrice Perkins 92. Patrice K. Cokley 93. Latonya Williams 94. Nicole Knox 95. Bernada Nicole Baker 96. Corliss Johnson 97. Tiff's EditingCafe 98. Susan Ullah, PWICU RADIO, True AccounTax 99. Ebony Brown 100.Mikkita Myz P Moore 101. Kim Ju C'Pieces

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

65. Catherine Newsome 66. Evangelist Valerie Foster 67. Dr. Natalie A. Francisco

3 7

Honorable Mentions

Danette TheEntrepreneur Maroney Jocelyn Delk Adams Tone Treazure Nikki Mims Patterson Mary Parr Deborah Byrd Omega IamAuntie Mothersill Temi Woodley Sandy Adams Latonya Williams Sheila Fiftyshadesofpink Gothard Sonya Thompson Danielle Greene DrLoretta Faith Harris Jeneen LW Nicole Caban Patrece C Myles Patrice Perkins Benita Cooper Ayanna Foster Kelson Donnis Overton Monique Scott KiSheyna Durham KiwiTheBeauty Sonya Thompson Deborah Francis TB101 apologizes in advance for any duplicates etc. If you missed getting your info in for this feature and would like to be featured online email your full bio and photo to info@tb101magazine.com at any time.

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

Kenya Jackson-Williams Sonja Sells Jacki Kash Virginia Gail Howard Latasha Haskins-Raines DrLily Jenkins Julie GraphicDesigner Holloway Chi Mere Zaneta Searles Mandi Roza Rosie Mercado Gwen DeVoe Danielle Zavala, Jaspen Boothe Kelly Porter Turner Danielle E. Willis Amanda Askew GaLonda Chatman Yolanda Askew Tarra Msmadammoney Jackson Lori A. Manns Tonya Bailey Harmony Success Yolanda Askew Hey Jewels!!! Monique Caradine SophiaTaylor MsGina Gina Monique Solomon Spence

Get your copy of Momproneur on Amazon & receive FREE gifts! http://www.latersablakely.com/momproneur

3 8

MEET Tonya Felish’ (Latonya Williams)

CEO & Creator, Bijouz By Tonya Felish' & Contour Jewlz Models

-Full Figured/ Plus Model -Clothing Designer/ Seamstress -Wardrobe Stylist -Creative Director -Event Planner/ Promoter Tonya Felish', born Latonya Felice Marie Williams was born and raised in San Jose, Ca. In her late teens she moved to Sacramento, Ca where she settled in and made a home for herself. She has pursued Modeling since the age of 20. Tonya Felish' completed the Sacramento City College Fashion Program in the Spring of 2012, and immediately jumped on the Fashion scene with her designs. Tonya Felish' is currently the owner of Contour Jewlz Modeling Company, Bijouz Fashion, Contour Quest Full Figured Fashion Blog, and will be opening Contour Quest Boutique in the fall of 2012. Tonya Felish' has additional projects under construction including Jewlz Empowered, a non-profit organization for women & teens. Tonya has a passion for mentorship and focuses on helping her community. As she continues to pursue a career in entertainment, fashion & modeling, she also strives to be a positive role model for her neighboring youth & the plus size modeling world. Height: 5'8.5", Weight: 210 lbs., Measurements: 39-37-50

2001-2003 Various Small Modeling Jobs in the Bay Area/ Los Angeles, Ca 2010-Current Company: 25andUpEnt.com, Sacramento, Ca -Party & Event Hosting (Promotions) -Celebrity Event Hostess: Keith Sweat, DJ Quik, Tank, Dwele, Buffy The Body, Pooch Hall, Sacramento Kings Players, Marcus Houston, Genuine 2010- Current Various Fashion Shows,

Sept 2011 Sept 2011 Sept 2011 Oct 2011 May 2012 July 2012 July 28, 2012

August 2012 August 2012

Bay Area & Sacramento, Ca - Runway Model Portland, Oregon -After Party Celebrity Hostess: Jon B, Faith Evans Mike Epps Comedy Explosion, Sacramento, Ca -Promoter & After Party Hostess The Exclusive Masquerade Ball, Sacramento, Ca -Hostess & Promoter American Spirit Lounge, Sacramento, Ca -Guest Celebrity Bartender “I am a Queen” Women’s Empowerment Event, Sacramento, Ca -Runway Model RAW- Mixology (Swagger Accessories), Sacramento, Ca -Runway Model Hair & Fashion battle Hosted By Jackie Christie of basket Ball Wives, Sacramento, Ca -Featured Fashion Designer A Girls Night Out- Tshirts & Stillettoes, Sacramento, Ca -Featured fashion Designer Hot August Nights Fashion Show, Sacramento, Ca -Featured Fashion Designer

YOUR BUSINESS CHECKUP BY YOUR PURPOSE COACH With the welcome of March, most business owners are assessing their business and doing a bit of spring cleaning. No matter the size of your business, you cannot gauge the effectiveness of any changes with analyzing the benefits and the effect on your bottom line.

make money is true, but you must spend it wisely. Spend it on ads that are pulling responses and orders, and if they’re not maybe you need to change publications.

Do you know what PR is and how to use it to positively position your business in the media? I’ll bet that at least one of your

competitors does. Nearly every mention of a company or business in the newspapers and magazines is a direct result of publicity efforts. Being quoted or featured in an article speaks volumes to your clients and readers who are your potential prospects. A good PR consultant can do that for you and show you ways to extend the shelf life of that article beyond its publication.

Here are 10 questions to get you started:

you managed to match them because if sales stayed the same then you’ve achieved zero growth. With inflation, this flat growth line is a warning sign for more trouble down the road.

What percentage of your business is from repeat customers? This is important to know

because if it’s too low, then it needs to be improved. The estimated cost of getting a new customer versus retaining an existing one can be as much as five to one in terms of dollars spent. Keeping customers is more cost-effective than constantly seeking new ones.

How long has it been since you offered a new product or service? Loyal customers like to see you changing and progressing with the times. If you’re stuck for an idea, ask your customers what they need.

Do you consider marketing and advertising expenses or investments? How you look at

the money spent in these areas affects your willingness to spend money at all. Would you look at prescriptions as a waste of money? Marketing is really investing in you, your vision, and your company. The old adage that you must spend money to

Are you listed in the yellow pages? If you only have a line listing, consider including a small ad in the yellow pages. If you can afford it, it will pay dividends throughout the year.

Do you treat your regular customers better than your drop-ins? You should. If your

customers don’t feel special when coming to you for products of services, why should they remain loyal to you? Have a customer appreciation day or a special invitation only sale for your regulars. Create a mailing list of your regulars. Send occasional post cards or greeting cards for special events or just to keep in touch. Learn to recognize them on sight and greet them by name when they visit you.

How long has it been since you really talked to one of your customers? Just as you appreciate when your Doctor takes time to talk to you, your customers will appreciate you if you take an interest in their needs. If you have a service business, have lunch or coffee periodically with some regulars – even if they only contact you once or twice a year. The personal touch in an impersonal world will be remembered.

How is your business doing compared to your competition? Every company, no matter what the size, has competition – even home-based businesses. Is their business growing or downsizing? Is their pricing or service better than yours? If so, what can you tell potential customers about the price difference? Think

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

How do your year-to-date sales compare to the last couple of years? Don’t be satisfied if

4 0

about how you can improve your service to meet or exceed your customer’s expectations.

Are your employees happy? Don’t ask them

directly, but observe them throughout the day. Watch, listen and learn. Employees, who like their jobs don’t watch the clock for quitting time, aren’t habitually late, don’t have poor body language, don’t spend time on personal phone calls, and don’t look like they never smiled. Observe how they interact with customers. Not everyone is a match for direct contact with the public, so make sure you don’t have an employee who is driving business away. I can remember when I was preparing to enter the workforce. I was working an office job supporting many people at various levels. One of my mentors pointed out to me that when talking to clients on the telephone I should smile too. For some unexplainable reason, when you smile as you talk on the phone, the exchange with the client becomes more pleasant and more productive. It’s as if that smile went right through the phone wires to the person to whom you’re talking.

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

Your Purpose Coach Live Your Life by Design, not by Default Out of Strength & Into Purpose

4 1

An interview with Delmar Johnson With well over 10 years of experience working with big corporations, small business owners and new entrepreneurs, human resource guru and visionary Delmar Johnson founded HR Brain for Hire™ as a trusted and resourceful solution for first time employers in need of affordable, efficient, and top notch recruitment, training and HR services. Delmar’s personal story, which includes multiple layoffs, life challenges, and her own dive into entrepreneurship, gives her a perfect mix of formal knowledge and “real life” experience that she pours into each client and their unique needs. Business owners love Delmar because her talent and passion for HR allow them to fall in love with their business all over again by getting them the right support that they so desperately need while saving them time, money, and headaches. Delmar also has an unconditional passion for the career seeker and enjoys sharing her time and knowledge with organizations, non-profit groups and individuals who simply need a little guidance and a plan in their career job preparedness. Delmar has been seen in the Little Pink Book online magazine, Working Mother Magazine, a contributor to the Women for Hire advice forum, a career expert for the 2012 Women for Hire online job fair, highlighted in the NY Daily News.com, Monster.com, Gannett print media publications, and mentioned in the Women’s Elevation Magazine. Delmar has also been selected as a speaker and panelist for the 2011 & 2012 Design Your Destiny Conference, featured guest on several Blogtalk radio shows, and created an e-Book every growing small to midsize business owner should have in their resource library, The Complete Guide To Intern Your Way To Profits In offering interactive workshops and presentations, Delmar’s goal is two-fold, 1) to offer value-added solutions to help you become an” employer of choice” by giving you the tools you can use immediately to establish your staff and set HR standards that grows with you and your business; and 2) to equip you to design your own career path to be workforce ready. If you would like to book Delmar Johnson to speak to your business associations, non-profit, college students, women’s group, or teen/youth organizations, contact her at 901.318.3006 or info@delmarjohnson.com How long have you been in the HR arena? I've been in the HR arena for 20 years in both corporate and independent contractor capacities.

Given today's job market, individuals who have found themselves in job search or career change mode definitely have an opportunity to a put a new and different strategy in place that may not have been done before. Assess: In many cases when someone has gone through a job loss and back on the job hunt, the first inclination is to just revise their resume and start submitting to companies for any job that is available. That is not the best first move to make. Going after any job that's open out of a feeling of desperation has the propensity to back fire. Take a deep breath then begin to assess what it is you really want in your next career move. There are many assessment tools that can aide in this process, for example, MyersBriggs or Strength Finders just to name a couple.

Identify: It's important to identify the skills, knowledge and talents you have from past and current life and work experiences that can bring value to the career job you have a desire to transition to. Without having a clear picture of what it is you have to bring to the table, then how will you know when you have identified the best fit job for yourself. One suggestion in how to do this is grab a pen and legal paid and create a transferable skills comparison exercise. Here’s one way to do that: o Create 3 columns: 1st column will contain ALL the job titles you’ve ever had (both in your professional and personal life) 2nd column will contain on the skills and talents you developed through those experiences you identified in the 2nd column. 3rd Column will contain job titles of positions you identify that you are either qualified for now or can become qualified for through training and education. o Doing such an exercise will help you put in black and white a potential path of your next steps.

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

THE ART OF HUMAN RESOURCES

With today’s job market, what is the best strategy you can give to someone who is out of work or looking for a career change?

4 2

Attend Networking Events: It's important to stay visible and the right networking events can help you do that. Every networking event will not be the right one; however, having a strategy in the type of networking environment you participate has the potential for a long lasting effect.

Revise Resume & Cover Letter: Only after you have gone through the initial steps of assessing, identifying, and making contact with your circle are you ready to create a resume that more succinctly creates a profile of your background and experience for the next employer.

Job Search: Job search is so much more than surfing the internet and submitting resumes all day. This is one area where a social media strategy is imperative. Linkedin.com is seen as one of the leading social media platforms to connect you to decision makers in corporations around the globe. Given the global accessibility it opens the opportunity to connect with forums, groups and individuals that that have the potential to connect you to future job openings. Get started by created a schedule of days and times you will spend on linkedin.com, which will help you keep track of the progress you’ve made.

While they claim millions of jobs have been created, do you think they are jobs that the people who are actually out of work are qualified to do? The challenge I see employers have been faced with, particularly as manufacturing slowly comes back to the USA, are lack of skilled workers. Technology has changed the landscape of the knowledge, skills and abilities employers seek to be more efficient on the job, while having to maintain much tighter hiring budgets. Although the overall unemployment rate has decreased significantly since the top of the recession in 2007/2008, the hundreds of thousands of unemployed workers

today that are more significantly impacted are more inclined to have been from general labor or service environments. . Looking a little back in history, over the last half-century, the United States has moved from a manual labor–based economy to a skills-based economy. In 1950, less than three in every ten jobs required a postsecondary credential; today nearly eight in every ten jobs requires such a credential (Shaw 2009: 1). All of these indicators point to one unmistakable fact: skills have become the great differentiator in the American economy. It is clear that the United States has moved from a middle-class economy with decent wages for all to an economy with one set of wages for the skilled and another set for the unskilled. This nationwide economic transformation has hit hard. Businesses that rely on skilled labor are concerned about the future of their talent pipelines, as baby boomers begin to retire. Hospitals anticipate a nursing shortage. Transportation and logistics companies worry about a lack of well-trained operators. Clean energy Companies fear that growth in the green economy may outpace growth in the skilled labor market. As a recent report by the global employment firm Manpower observes, “Despite global recession and the weakest employment outlook in decades, employers are nonetheless facing a scarcity of talent in critical areas.” Indeed, 19 percent of U.S. firms in Manpower’s study said they have had difficulty filling jobs because of a lack of available talent (Manpower 2009). I believe it to be imperative that individuals who are bumping up against those “brick walls”, seek to take advantage of services in their perspective areas, such as the Workforce Investment Boards/Networks that are setup to aid in skills trainings, job search, and interview preparation to position the unemployed to meet employers current standards of qualified candidates. What advice would you give to entrepreneurs when they have grown to a point of needing staff? What should they consider? I would advise entrepreneurs who have found themselves ready to become "first time employers", to develop a checklist. The worse thing he or she could do is to jump into hiring with both feet, but no plan. I would suggest that their checklist look something like the one below:

Take a real assessment of your business needs and make a decision that you are ready to let go of total control

Determine if your level of work and responsibilities to operate your business justify budgeting for support

Write out a list of specifics of what you would want someone to help you with; get clear on those duties and responsibilities you are ready to delegate to someone else

Determine what you see as benefits to your business

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

Contact Network: If no one knows you are job searching, how will they know how to help you? Reach out to your circle of influence and let them know what you are looking for and what you are capable of doing. Ask if there is an opportunity to be introduced to others inside their network circle.

4 3

Determine if you need someone to work on a parttime or full-time basis

Determine how many people you want to hire

Determine if you have the time to do it all yourself

Establish a timeline of when you will want someone in place

Determine if it's worth outsourcing the hiring process

10. Setup a work environment: virtual help or on-site help Those are just the initial steps to come before setting a “new hire date”. There is much more in sealing the deal through the recruitment and hiring process that I would encourage growing small business owners to seek out help and partner with an HR source that will be a sounding board and support over the short and long term. How do you think new healthcare changes will affect the workplace? The new healthcare act, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a complex topic that will take time to begin to understand the full effect of it; however, according to the Focus on Health Forum by Kaiser Family Foundation, several provisions of the ACA will likely have significant effects on small businesses, their employees, and families. Currently, smaller businesses are less likely to offer health insurance coverage to their employees than larger companies: 57% of small businesses with 50 or fewer workers offered health benefits to employees, compared to 92% of businesses with 51 to 100 workers, and 97% of businesses with 101 or more workers in 2011.

will have to pay a penalty if they do not offer affordable coverage. Businesses with 50 or fewer FTE employees are exempt from these penalties. Businesses with 51 or more FTE employees will be fined $2,000 per employee (excluding the first 30 employees) if they do not offer coverage for employees who average 30 or more hours per week. To avoid penalties, employers must offer insurance that covers at least 60% of the actuarial value of the cost of benefits. The coverage also must be affordable to employees, meaning an individual employee’s premium cannot exceed 9.5% of their household income 3. Tax Credits to assist in the Cost of Health Insurance Small businesses with fewer than 25 FTE employees may be eligible for tax credits to assist in the cost of health insurance. To qualify, such businesses must have average annual wages below $50,000 and must pay at least half of the cost of their employee’s health insurance. 083f784. Grants for Wellness Programs Small businesses (with fewer than 100 employees who work 25 or more hours per week on average) that did not have a workplace wellness program in effect at as of March 2010 are eligible for grants to start such programs. Because of the complexity of the ACA it is strongly suggested that businesses do their research and put plans in place to minimize the impact as much as is legally feasible.

The aspects of the ACA that relate most directly to small businesses are the creation of new insurance exchanges, tax credit subsidies, and penalties if some employers do not offer coverage. Below are summary overviews of those provisions: 1. Creation of Insurance Exchanges Small businesses will have the option to purchase insurance through a new market, called the Small Business Health Options Program (or SHOP Exchange). The exchange will be designed to offer individuals and small employers an easier way to compare and purchase plans. Employers may continue to purchase insurance through the market outside of the exchange, and the insurance reforms above will apply throughout both markets. Each state is required to create an exchange by 2014; otherwise the federal government will run one in the state. 2. Penalties for Not Providing Affordable Coverage though there is no requirement that small businesses offer health insurance, beginning in 2014, and some smaller businesses (with more than 50 employees)

Anything to add? In closing, for the small business owner when you are ready to make that move to hire, don't go it alone. It is widely known that most small business owners wear many hats, and are typically in DIY mode. However, taking on employees takes on a new dimension to your business plan. I would add that if you are going through a career change do not let fear dictate your decision making process. Your success of finding a "right fit" job is increased exponentially when you have created a plan for your next step. If you need help, ask for it and invest in coaching when you are able to. How may our readers contact you? I can be contacted at phone: 901.318.3006, email: info@delmarjohnson.com and my website at www.delmarjohnson.com

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

4 4

www.jmhcre8ive.com www.theentrepreneurwithin.org

FROM THE HEART OF AN ENTREPRENEUR BY JULIE M. HOLLOWAY We can be and do what we want if we believe in ourselves. It takes a strong woman, brave, powerful, confident and fearless to walk in our destiny, in what was created for us. Once we get over ourselves, as the stumbling block the only things that may get in our way is resources, lack of support from others, jealousy and competition, financial issues or blocks in confidence. Otherwise, I truly believe that everything we need is right within. Sometimes you just have to believe in the ONE thing that matters, yourself.

Have you unleashed the entrepreneur within you? Learn

about

how

you

can

channel

your

inner

entrepreneur with the help of “The Entrepreneur Within You book.” While some people are born with an inherent entrepreneurial knack, many successful entrepreneurs experience of others. Aspiring business owners can hone their skills with the help of “The Entrepreneur Within You.” This book is a collection of both inspirational and practical business advice from designer and marketer, Julie Holloway. In addition to Holloway’s tips as a seasoned professional, there are 17 other contributing writers who each pen a chapter on a variety of business topics as well as personal reflection regarding the road to entrepreneurial success. Last November the TEW Crew published the book “The Entrepreneur Within You” along with 17 contributing authors whom each penned a chapter on life, passion and entrepreneurship. Look for the book on Amazon, Barnes

and

Noble

www.theentrepreneurwithin.org. Be.Inspired!

and

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013

channel their business savvy through the advice and

4 5

4 6

THE BUSINESS 101 MAGAZINE: SPECIAL EDITION MARCH 2013